The release of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 definitely changed up the way combat was done and stands out among other Final Fantasy games. Instead of having a party with her, Lightning became a one-woman army and had to go through most battles by herself. Players would have to equip her with the right garbs, weapons, accessories, and shields.Shields in Lightning Returns don’t only help with providing Lightning with defense, but can also raise her max HP and give her other special auto-abilities. Like her weapons, there are plenty of shields to choose from. Though some of the best ones are only available in Hard Mode, there are a few shields that are great to have regardless of the mode. Here are some shields players should save up their gil for.
10 Deirdre's Tears
This shield is a fan-favorite even if it’s a little on the basic side when it comes to stats. Deirdre's Tears raises both Defense and Magic, so it’s good for a mage build. It doesn’t have any other special stats or abilities, but some players love this shield because it’s a good price, looks great, and raises stats instead of lowering them.
It’s not the strongest in stats, especially when stronger shields come later in the game or in Hard Mode. However, this shield isn’t a bad choice to pick up and use until players can afford better ones.
9 Goddess's Grace
This shield was only available if players downloaded their data from previous games, more specifically Final Fantasy 13-2. Though this item isn’t the highest when it comes to stats, Goddess's Grace is a great shield to have at the beginning of the game. It raises Guard Defense, Strength, and Magic by 100, making it a lot better than most shields available during the RPG's early hours.
There are better shields out there that can be bought, but this is a pretty good well-balanced one. Some players have been able to make it work for later on in the game and endgame content, but it’s usually best for the beginning.
8 Lominsan Escutcheon
Arguably the best crest shield in Lightning Returns, Lominsan Escutcheon boosts max HP by 2000and Guard Defense by 110. Though the other crest shields will raise one or the other higher than this shield, this one is overall better when it comes to well-balanced stats. Plus, the extra HP is always a good thing, especially when going up against hard-hitting enemies.
The downside of this shield is that it doesn’t boost ATB speed versus the Gridanian Sigil which gives a small boost along with having slightly better defense. However, considering the amount of HP the Lominsan Escutcheon gives, this shield is hard to pass up.
7 Blasphemy
Another shield that’s a fan-favorite because of its strong stats and how well-balanced it is, Blasphemy increases max HP, ATB speed, and Guard Defense. It has nothing but benefits for the players and is a great tactical shield to have until players can afford to get the Decide shield which is only available in Hard Mode.
Blasphemy might not be the most powerful shield, but it’s definitely better than the average shield. It had a high, but not too high price tag of 165,000 gil and only available late in the game. It’s worth saving up for and having around until better shields in Hard Mode can be bought.
6 Cleopatra's Praise
If players are looking for a shield for a mage build, this shield is probably the best one to have. Cleopatra's Praise has a Guard Defense of 100 and raises Magic by 350. What makes this shield really good is that it raises ATB Speed by 10. This will come in handy because most staves or other weapons targeted towards boosting Magic usually lower ATB Speed. This shield can help neutralize the loss.
One of cons about this shield is that it’s only available in Hard Mode at the Final Day Forge, consequently players won’t be able to enjoy it for long unless they do another playthrough. Also, it comes at a pretty hefty price of 330,000 gil.
5 Noblesse Veronique
Out of all the light shields, the Noblesse Veronique is one that fans love to have in their inventory. It raises max HP by 2000 and ATB Speed by 30, which means Lightning will have pretty high HP and get her turns a lot faster than what most shields will give her.
Noblesse Veronique doesn’t have the Guard Defense ability, but it does have the Guard Efficiency ability. These two abilities have been long debated on which is better, but regardless, Lightning won’t be defenseless if she has this shield equipped.
4 Summoner's Shield
This shield was only available if players bought the DLC and made the purchase worthwhile. Summoner's Shield
raises max HP by 1500 and Magic by 200. It paired up perfectly with the Spira’s Summoner Garb because it had very high stats and the Elementa ability was insanely powerful thanks to it. It’s definitely a great shield for anyone wanting to make a mage build for Lightning. Though some shields outclass this option later on in the game, Summoner's Shield is a good one during the beginning and the middle of it.
This shield doesn’t have any defensive abilities like Guard Defense or Guard Efficiency. However, it does have the Song of Prayer ability which casts Protect and Shell on Lightning after guarding for 10 seconds. When this ability triggers, it’ll cast these two abilities and last for about 30 seconds.
3 Rasa, Kaminari, Or Thunderstruck
These three shields have the exact stats and abilities so players can have fun picking which aesthetic they like. All three shields raise max HP by 800, ATB Speed by 10, Guard Defense by 30, and Status Ailment Resistance by 25%. While it doesn’t have the highest stats, they are all pretty good because of the Status Ailment Resistance. Not many shields have this so if players are going up against a boss or enemies that have a lot of attacks that do this.
The downside of these shields is that they were only available as DLC content. The garbs that came with these shields also weren’t the best, so some players might’ve overlooked them.
2 Emerald Ensemble Or Carnelian Choir
A pair of shields that are essentially the same, but with a few differences. The Emerald Ensemble raises max HP by 5500, but lowers ATB Speed by 15 along with having no Guard Defense. However, this shield has the Lightning Guard and Wind Guard abilities. It reduces damage from these elements by 70% so if players go against enemies that specialize in these elements, this shield can help lessen the damage.
The Carnelian Choir has the same stats as the Emerald Ensemble, but it has the Fire Guard and Ice Guard abilities. The use for these shields are more situational, but they’re still worth purchasing and having in case players need extra protection against these elements.
1 Megalesia
This shield is a little on the basic side, but Megalesia raises max HP by 2800 and Guard Defense by 100. Though it doesn’t have the high stats that the Nemesis has, it’s the best well-balanced shield to have until that item can be bought. It’s best for players who are wanting Lightning to have a warrior build with some pretty good defense.
Since the Nemesis shield is only available in Hard Mode near the end of the campaign, Megalesia is the best shield in Lightning Returns. It’s worth spending the 165,000 gil to get this shield and great to have until better options can be bought in Hard Mode.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 is available on PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and Mobile. The RPG is also available on Xbox Game Pass.